Reunion Has Come
by logarhythm
Summary: A series of unrelated fluffy, angsty and funny reunion one-shots featuring our favourite boys. ((Nezushi))
1. Déja Vu

**This is just a collection of reunion oneshots that I'll occasionally add to, just because I have so many ideas and headcanons about how they could possibly reunite in the future and I need to get these two idiots out of my mind.**

**I'm sorry for the Shion-angstball here, but I'm a fan.**

**Disclaimer.**

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><p><em><strong>Déja vu<strong>_

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><p>A small, warm puff of air was exhaled into the dark room. It was only very quiet, but it broke the cold silence like a scream. Another followed, sounding very much like the most recent semiquaver in the constant melody of melancholic sighs that escaped from Shion's lips.<p>

On most days, the hollow cavity in his chest was bearable. He would wake in the morning and smile, and go to work, and come home to his mother - who still welcomed him with loving arms, despite the fact that he should have moved out years ago - who talked with him and ate with him, and who kissed him on the forehead and wished him goodnight, and then he would lie in bed and try desperately to swallow the ache in his throat and squash the painful thoughts until he finally fell into an uncomfortable and fitful sleep from which he would frequently wake, haunted by vague, unpleasant dreams.

It had become routine, and once a routine was ingrained into Shion's subconscious, it became very difficult to break.

Shion accepted that this was one of his more worrying flaws, as it had also led to a marijuana addiction. He'd been offered some by Rikiga after a stressful day at work last year and hadn't stopped since.

But somehow, tonight, even that fact seemed insignificant.

He leaned his head backwards from his place slouched on the floor until it collided with the edge of his mattress. He sighed, again, and closed his eyes.

"Happy Birthday, Shion," he muttered absently to himself.

A half-empty bottle of beer was lifted to his lips by his left hand, which was shortly replaced with a joint by his right.

He breathed out slowly and gazed at the damp patch in the corner of his ceiling. _I suppose I should get that looked at,_ he thought idly.

Shion had declined all birthday party offers, including a pub crawl with his colleagues on the Restoration Committee, a free prostitute for a night and a bottle of fine wine (offered by Rikiga, at which Inukashi had been appalled) and even a traditional 'birthday dinner' with his mother. Since that day six years ago, he hadn't enjoyed birthdays much anymore. They always reminded him of a certain person.

_Talking about that night..._ He turned to face the window, curtains drawn back so he could see the stars, although his efforts were in vain because the stars were shielded by large, feisty storm clouds.

"A stormy birthday night, huh... It doesn't feel like ten years ago."

A small smile tugged at his lips as the first drops of rain began to _pitter-patter_ at the thin window panes, as if they were knocking, begging him to throw the window open...

Very quickly, all thoughts were drowned out by the intense sounds from the sky, thunder roaring with a violent ferocity and raindrops slamming into the glass with an almost angry intensity. The howling winds shot past the house and Shion suddenly felt like the sky was crying.

Shion wanted to cry, too.

He wasn't entirely sure what he was doing, but he dropped the alcohol and the lit joint - minding to stamp it out and blinking at the slight pain to his bare foot - and wandered over to the window as if there was some unknown force, some higher power guiding his movements.

It wasn't quite a hurricane, but it would do.

He pulled the latch and gasped as the harsh wind opened the window for him. Suddenly, the emotions he'd suppressed over the years - every tear he'd bitten down, every intense pang of jealousy at the happy couples he saw in the street, every spark of anger at the pitying look in people's eyes - all rumbled in his gut like wilderbeast charging closer and closer and his hands shook and his eyes stung and his heart burst open in red like the skies above him and cried.

Shion screamed.

He screamed, even when his throat was raw and even when his lungs felt like they would collapse and even when his neighbour opened the window and complained loudly at the noise.

Then, when he was all out of screams, he clutched the window sill and cried.

"You look like you're enjoying yourself."

He let out a gasp and tasted rain on his tongue. Rain, and something darker. Something deeper and darker, a muddy, bitter taste like over-brewed coffee that all those years ago had driven him insane in his sleep.

"Nice weather for a birthday party, isn't it?"

The familiar sour sarcasm hung in the air, but there was nothing negative about his tone. Shion could _hear_ the smile.

"Nezumi..." he breathed to the sky, hesitant to speak. Though it was uncommon, marijuana was a hallucinogen and so he knew it could cause hallucinations.

He knew, and yet... this felt _real_.

"Well who else would be hiding in your garden in the middle of a storm? Use that sharp brain of yours for once, Shion."

Shion thought he was going to collapse.

"And let me in quickly, I'm getting soaked out here. It's raining, in case you couldn't tell."

It was dark, but Shion's keen eyes still made out the silhouette on the small lawn. He was standing with feet firmly apart, shoulders hunched and hands stuffed in the pockets of his shiny leather jacket, slick with rainwater.

_He looks cold._

Shion blinked and drew in a wheezing breath - _I didn't realise I'd been holding it_ - and immediately snapped into action. He leaned over, the sharp windowsill cutting painfully into his waist and right hip as he hoisted himself as far out of the window as he could get. The dark figure ran towards the house; he grabbed the drainpipe and leapt up half a storey with feline grace that took Shion's breath away. He placed his feet firmly against the wall and, one hand supporting his weight on the drainpipe, lifted the other hand to meet Shion's - and then Nezumi was crouching in the window, one foot on the sill and one dripping muddy water on the carpet.

Despite his effort, he wasn't at all out of breath.

Shion had barely moved, but faced with Nezumi again after so long feeling _empty_ gave him significant difficulty breathing.

_I'm dreaming_, he thought wildly, his emotions in disarray. _This is some horrible nightmare, and I'm going to wake up and realise that Nezumi is never coming back._

"It's not a dream," a deep voice murmured, and Shion could have fainted because even after all this time, Nezumi could still read his mind as if he was just an open book - "Shion."

"Nezumi."

Thin lips twisted into a wry smirk. "Is that the only word you can say now?"

Shion suddenly felt a wave of every emotion he'd ever felt - and it was all so surreal. Only Nezumi could make him feel like this - so confused, disorientated, angry, stressed out, sad, elated, euphoric... and _alive_.

"You..." he muttered, not caring that his voice was rough from screaming and was shaking horribly. "You total arsehole."

Nezumi let out a snort. "Sorry." He stepped fully into the room, and his sculpted eyebrows rose in surprise.

"What?" Shion snapped, far more aggressively than he'd intended.

"You've grown."

Shion immediately felt a rush of irritation, embarrassment and childish pride - and laughed. He laughed and wondered if he'd smoked a bit too much that night or if he was finally going insane - but he decided that he didn't care, because Nezumi was standing like a drowned rat in his bedroom, creating a horrible puddle on his floor and staring at him with such an intense look, and Shion was completely lost in those captivating grey eyes all over again.

The laughter subsided and Shion slowly stepped forward until he was directly in front of the man - and a small part of him noticed how Nezumi seemed shorter and smaller than in his memories, but that was because Shion had grown up - and he leaned forward and closed his eyes, and kissed him.

It was a chaste, sweet kiss that probably only lasted a few seconds, but it sent a rush of euphoria through his soul and made him giddy.

"... What was that?" Nezumi whispered after they parted, fixing him with a gaze so deep and so full of emotion that Shion almost forgot to answer.

Shion smiled widely. "A welcome-home kiss."


	2. Sing For Me

**I'm sorry for the wait - but that's because I've been concentrating on _Thinner_ as well as another No. 6 fic which I plan to upload after I've finished all the chapters... because I don't like how irregular my updates are. It's mainly due to laziness and procrastination, but also writer's block and varying levels of work, since I'm nearing my final exams now. To all my followers/favers of any of my fics - please bear with me until July!**

**I apologise for the bad quality of this, and I'm especially unsure about the ending...**

**Disclaimer.**

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><p><strong><em>Sing For Me<em>**

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><p>"Contact Nezumi?"<p>

Shion nodded as he chewed his lip anxiously. "Yeah. I know it's probably a stupid thing to ask, since when Nezumi wants to be not contactable, he's definitely not contactable… But I thought maybe you have some connections – some people you know, who know people. That sort of thing – and you could maybe, I don't know – contact them? Just to see if he's –"

"Yeah, yeah," Inukashi shushed him impatiently. "Jeez, you talk a lot. I _do_ know some people who know some people – but I'm not sure if they know _Nezumi_."

Shion had been expecting this answer. He _knew_ that the likelihood of Nezumi being within his grasp after so long was microscopic – and that the probability of Inukashi having the ability to contact Nezumi was also inconceivable, because otherwise they would have sent a message to the mysterious rat long before now.

He knew, but it still _hurt_.

"Uh-" Inukashi stuttered, seeing the shattered look in those intense violet eyes. They immediately felt an irrational rush of guilt. They quietly mumbled, "I can try, though."

Shion mentally berated himself for the fiery explosion of emotion in his chest. "Thank you – thank you so much, Inukashi!" he said far too eagerly. He drew the shorter person into his chest in a tight hug, ignoring the muffled cries of protest. "Thank you," he mumbled into their hair.

"Okay, okay," Inukashi said irritably, pushing Shion off them. "You gotta give me a message."

Shion blinked.

"What, you hadn't thought the plan that far through?" Inukashi guffawed. "I need something to give him when I contact him – it's not like he's just an itty-bitty phone call away and I can hand you the receiver. Just tell me – or give me, whatever – what you want to give him and I'll see if I can get it to him." Inukashi put a mocha hand on their hip. "But I warn ya, it might take a while. Days, weeks, months. And it probably won't ever reach that rat at all. So don't hold your breath."

"It's fine, I'll have something ready by tomorrow when I come to work," Shion responded with a wide grin. "And it's okay if it doesn't get to him – I'm not stupid, I know the odds aren't in my favour… But I'm just grateful for your effort and help." Shion let out a bubbly laugh. "I'll never know if it's possible if I don't try, right?"

Inukashi _tsked_. "Yeah, yeah. Don't look at me like that – it's creeping me out."

Shion laughed.

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><p>To be honest, when Shion had told Inukashi he would be ready with a message by tomorrow, he had been feeling a little giddy and – frankly – had been just <em>speaking<em> rather than _thinking._

Shion sighed, placing his pen down next to the blank paper. _What do I say?_

Nezumi had been MIA for over three years now, and lots of things had happened in Shion's life. With the help of the Restoration Committee, Shion had been able to restore electricity to most of the West Block and the profit from the now rather popular marketplace there had given its inhabitants enough money for enough food to survive. He'd also set up a sort of government record – except since No. 6 was currently lacking a government, the files were run by Shion and a few colleagues. The record was nothing more than a list of every person currently living in No. 6 and the surrounding blocks. They were all registered with a fingerprint, which helped many other departments in the building, especially the sparse police force. Due to some outdated law about having a legal guardian up until the age of eighteen, Karan had generously adopted Inukashi into the family – since they had been only fifteen at the time and lacked a living family member – and Inukashi had then proceeded to adopt baby Shion; not to mention that a few months ago, Karan had also finally accepted Rikiga's proposal, meaning Shion's family had greatly expanded in the space of only a year. Then, shortly after the irrigation and sewage system breakthrough, Shion had been promoted to the chairman of the Restoration Committee and had finally moved out of his mother's house, into a modest but comfortable apartment near the park where he used to work all those years ago, and had decided to finish his formal education in evening classes – and just last week, he'd been accepted into the top university in the city and was expecting to begin his course in three months' time.

All this had happened… And yet as soon as Shion lifted the pen over the paper, he was at a loss for words.

_What can I possibly say to Nezumi? I could bore him by regaling my success during the period we've been apart, spend pages and pages on the details of everything that's changed in the world we knew together… but I feel it's not enough. I don't want to tell him about the electricity grid or the funds I've pumped into the West Block or the adoption of Inukashi and baby Shion – because when it comes to Nezumi, none of that seems to matter. _

Shion closed his eyes, and exhaled.

_All that matters is you._

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><p>"You have it? Jesus, I thought you were joking."<p>

Shion laughed, handing the neatly folded paper to his sibling. "When I say something, I mean it."

Inukashi took the proffered paper and glanced at it – before doing a double-take as he caught a glimpse of its content. "Wait, Shion – what is this? Can I look?" At Shion's affirmative – though embarrassed – nod, they unfolded the parchment. "No way," Inukashi whispered.

"Well," Shion began to explain, uncertainty boiling in his gut at Inukashi's expression. "I tried to write a letter but it didn't really work out – I felt like no matter what I said, it wouldn't convey my feelings to him properly. He's always told me that I'm bad with words, after all." Shion laughed awkwardly. "So, I, uh… I thought about what language he communicates in, and I… yeah."

Inukashi barked out a short laugh, not tearing their eyes off the paper, though it seemed a bit forced. "I didn't know you were musical, too. Just how many talents are you hiding, eh, Shion?"

Shion smiles at his shoelaces. "Yeah, well… I took piano lessons as a kid, and I… It's good that those skills are finally useful for something."

"I don't get any of it… But I'm sure that bastard will understand. He seems to understand everything, especially with you, for some reason." Inukashi re-folded the paper – far more haphazardly than Shion's original folds – and stuffed it in their bag with a wry smirk. "After all the effort you put in, I can hardly let this paper lose its track. I'll make sure to deliver it to him in person." They ruffle Shion's snowy hair. "Wait for me, yeah?"

Shion beamed at them with a sparkle in his eyes that had been missing for three years.

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><p>"Damn," Shion muttered under his breath with mild irritation. He wiped the eraser dust off the paper and glared at the crease he'd created – he'd been trying to keep this form tidy and presentable.<p>

He'd immersed himself in work over the past few months to distract himself from the nagging longing for Nezumi which had been rekindled in full by the letter incident. Now, despite being four years wiser, older and more mature, each day seemed to hurt just as it had done when they'd first separated. Shion was entirely back to square one.

The lack of reply dulled his hopes even further.

It had been three months since Inukashi had left and not a word from either of them. Shion at first had wondered idly if Inukashi had died somewhere along the way, in the rough terrain between city-states – but had quickly dismissed it, because Inukashi would not die so quietly and modestly.

Shion was _determined_ to keep believing.

_Riiing riiing – riiing riiing – riiing rii-_ "Hello?"

"_Shion? That you?_"

Shion bit back a sigh. For just a moment, he had believed too much. "Ah, Rikiga-san. Yeah, it's me. Can I help you?"

"_Shion, you gotta – oh my god, I can't believe it – It's totally unreal. I mean all this time, and you – you just… But I couldn't do it. I'm a cynical old man and you're young and – Jesus fucking Christ, I never thought – never – Shion. You just, you know – I really hope you're right. All this time, I never said – I never told you – I never said that I didn't believe, but I didn't. Maybe for a month but then I just couldn't because he's not that sort of person – or at least – I thought – but you did. All this time Shion, you believed – completely – and Inukashi – you didn't tell me where the kid went! Why didn't you tell me you sent the brat to find Eve?"_

Shion snapped out of his distant state. "What? Wait – what? Rikiga-san, did you just – how –?"

"_Shion, you're such an – Jesus – I was so – I was worried sick but then Inukashi arrived at my door looking all beat and bruised and looking like they hadn't slept in days and then – then –_"

"Then what?" Shion urgently pushed. "What happened? Were they okay? Was –" _Was Nezumi there?_

"_Then they said you sent them off on a wild goose chase looking for Eve with a letter, and they barged in my house and ate Karan's bread right off the shelf, without even paying, the brat –_" Rikiga's tone of voice had become less riddled with worry and more annoyed, and Shion stopped listening.

"Did Inukashi still have the letter with them?" he asked firmly, cutting off his stepfather's rambling.

"_Uh… Actually, now that you mention it, Shion… They didn't."_

Shion felt his heart speed up and his breathing get heavier. "So…" He didn't dare let himself think the logical conclusion.

"_I guess they must've managed to deliver it._" Still, Rikiga voiced Shion's thoughts.

"Yeah…"

Shion was certain Rikiga was still talking, but for some reason the sound wasn't reaching his ears. There was just a single thought in his mind at that moment.

_Nezumi._

Even if Nezumi hadn't returned – which he obviously hadn't, otherwise Rikiga would have mentioned it – he had received his 'letter' to him, which Shion hoped with all his heart would properly convey his feelings to him, and persuade him to come back home.

"– _wasn't far from here, actually. At least, not as far as they'd thought he would be. Near No. 5, apparently."_

"Sorry," Shion apologized, stumbling back into the conversation, "what were you saying?"

Rikiga snorted on the other end of the line. "_Just saying how Inukashi mentioned how close Eve is to here. That's why they found him in just a month. I mean, in three years – even if he was just walking – he could easily be on the other side of the world. But just a month away on foot? I mean, that's gotta be saying something._"

Shion's throat went dry. "Yeah," he choked out, his voice hoarse. "Yeah, I guess it does."

_Just a month away on foot._

The sentence ricocheted around Shion's head like a stray bullet, bursting brain cells as it went. _Just a month away on foot. Just a month away on foot. Just a monthawayonfoot. Justamonthawayonfootjustamonthawayfootjustmonthawaymonthawaymonthawaymonthmonthmonth_

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><p>"Hey, Shion."<p>

A mug of white coffee was handed to him and he accepted it gratefully. "Hello, Charles."

The large man grinned at him as he dropped gracelessly into the adjacent seat at the vast meeting table. "You still working? At this hour?"

Shion nodded with a sigh. "There's a lot of paperwork to do." He signed the paper in front of him with a flourish of blue ink, as if to emphasise his point.

Charles mimicked his sigh gruffly. "If the best thing you have to do on a Friday night is paperwork, then that's a problem that needs to be sorted. Pronto."

An ivory eyebrow rose. "What are you suggesting?" Shion asked with a chuckle. "I'm not going to a bar with you again."

Charles shuddered. "Heaven _forbid –_ I don't want a repeat of that last episode. Shion, that guy needed _stitches._ I didn't know you could punch that hard."

"Neither did I."

"But anyway," Charles says quickly, veering away from that conversation topic, "I wasn't suggesting a bar. Maybe… I don't know, a party. Or a nightclub. Or hell, even the cinema. Just something other than _work_."

Shion's lips twist into an amused grimace. "Parties and nightclubs aren't my thing. Too noisy, too crowded and too much alcohol."

"I had a feeling you'd say that."

Shion glanced up at his beefy colleague. "What?" he said, his tone laced with suspicion and his lavender eyes narrowed. "What are you planning?"

"I'm not planning anything," Charles protested innocently. "I just… saw this poster on the street, and thought it looked more… 'your thing'."

A scuffed sheet of glossy paper was slid towards him across the glass desk. Shion eyed it for a moment and quickly dismissed it; the poster featured a beautiful woman, shining and sparkling in a long evening gown and gemstone jewellery. "What is it?" Shion asked incredulously. From the lighting cast on the woman, it appeared she was on stage when the photo had been taken – or it had been edited to appear that way, at least. "Opera?"

"Not quite, but close. She's a travelling musician, quite famous in No. 3, I hear. I went to see one of her performances with my girlfriend a couple of years ago while we were on holiday there – I have to say, she was _amazing_. The best voice I've ever heard."

"Really?" Shion inquired, a thought suddenly occurring to him that he knew he shouldn't be thinking of… _But still…_ "What was her name?"

Charles scoffed. "Real name? No idea. That's one of the reasons she's popular; she's mysterious – no one knows a thing about her. Name, age, birthplace – nothing. But I do know her stage name – what was it…" He paused in thought, scratching his strong jaw idly.

Violet eyes blinked. He could feel his breathing growing heavier with a mixture of excitement and fear, and the oxygen was beginning to make him a little light-headed.

"Ah yeah, that was it," Charles said after a moment. "Her name was Eve."

Shion's lungs exploded and he was faintly aware of hearing himself hyperventilating; Charles's worried voice echoed emptily around his skull as he staggered out of his chair, and then his vision went black.

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><p>"Oi, wake up!"<p>

Shion blinked blearily. "Huh…?" he croaked, and cleared his throat. "What's…"

"Shhh, it's okay." He heard his mother's gentle voice soothe him and a slender hand stroke his hair. "You just fainted. It was probably overwork – you're spending all your time working nowadays, Shion. It's bad for your health."

Shion attempted to sit up, and was able to do so with a little help from Karan. He glanced around the room – his room. His living room. "How did I –"

"This old guy dragged your ass over here." This voice was not his mothers. It was rough and brusque – the voice that had woken him up. He looked behind him and spotted Inukashi lounging in his armchair, curled up with their knees to their chest.

Shion turned to look for the 'old guy' who had taken him home – and found Charles hovering next to his mantelpiece, his lined face the very picture of anxiety.

"Are you okay?" he asked hurriedly, striding over to Shion. "I mean one moment we were talking, and the next you just started hyperventilating and then you collapsed – shit, I thought you'd _died_ or something –"

"I'm fine," Shion reassured the older man, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Really, Charles, I'm fine. There's no need to worry. I was just… a bit shocked."

Yes, it was coming back to him now. Charles had shown him a photo – a poster – of Nezumi, and had then implied he was in town, and Shion had been stressed and tired, and it had simply been the last straw for his wearied mind.

"Was it about that poster I showed you? Do you know her or something?"

Shion tried a smile, but he was sure it looked more like a grimace. "Something like that. But honestly, I'm _fine_. I just need some sleep and a glass of water."

Charles hurried out of the room with a quick, "I'll get you one."

"Poster?" Inukashi asked as soon as he was gone. "What poster? Of who?"

Shion cleared his throat. "Nezumi. Or," he added, "more accurately, Eve."

The silence in the room was so tangible Shion could taste it.

Charles burst into the room, and the tense atmosphere was broken. "Here."

"Thanks." Shion sipped the icy water and immediately felt better. "Wow, that's good."

"You just need to take better care of yourself," Karan said. "Drink more, eat more, sleep more – work less."

Shion chuckled. "That's a good motto. Maybe I'll do that."

"We can start on the 'work less' thing at the weekend, if you'd like," Charles suggested. "I mean, if you're up for it. Being sick and all."

"I'm not sick, just tired," Shion corrected. "But yes, I think I will go somewhere. Do something that isn't work for a change."

Charles grinned. "You want to come too?" he asked the other occupants of the room. "It's more fun if there are more people."

"Saturdays are a busy day at the bakery," Karan replied with a smile. "But thank you for offering."

Three pairs of eyes turned to Inukashi, who had happily been tuning out the conversation. Eventually, they caught on, and took on a deer-in-the-headlights expression. "What?"

"We were wondering if you wanted to go out with us tomorrow," Shion explained as he cradled the glass of water. "We could invite Rikiga-san too."

Inukashi scoffed. "Well, maybe. If I have nothing better to do."

Shion beamed. "Great."

"Where were you thinking of going?" Charles asked. "You want to see Eve?"

White locks bobbed as Shion nodded. "Yeah, I would. That's okay with you, right, Inukashi?"

Inukashi shrugged casually. "Whatever. I guess I can put up with that bastard for a few hours if it makes you feel better."

Shion grinned. "I know you like Eve's singing as much as I do."

"Shut up and drink your water."

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><p>The queue was long. The five of them – Shion, Inukashi, Charles, Rikiga and Karan too – waited with varying levels of patience for two hours in the cold, dank West Block streets before it was finally their turn to collect their tickets.<p>

"That'll be five gold," the lanky teenager in the ticket booth said, his voice dripping with boredom. This was evidently not his favourite thing to be doing on a Saturday night.

"Five gold?" Inukashi echoed as Shion graciously paid up. They cast a shocked glance at their friends. "No way. Eve never used to charge that much!"

"It appears he got pretty famous in No. 3 or wherever he's been for the last four years; thinks he's worth more than a three-course meal," Rikiga commented sourly, though he was clearly eager to see the performance as he strode into the theatre ahead of the group.

Shion followed behind. He would usually have defended Nezumi against such harsh comments – but as he entered the familiar building, he felt a thick wave of anxiety wash over him. _It's real_, he thought to himself, wringing his hands as he scoured the rows of chairs for his allocated seat. _This is really happening._ _I'm going to see Nezumi._

_Nezumi._

The group found their seats, and Shion was shoved into a seat between Inukashi and Charles, his mother and Rikiga taking the seats to Inukashi's right. He glanced at Charles, who seemed totally oblivious to the nervous intensity being emitted by the other four members of the group at the prospect of once again seeing the elusive rat.

"Shut up," one young woman in the row in front of them whispered harshly. "They're starting."

The couple who had been talking quickly quieted down.

The burgundy curtains slowly lifted in a single majestic movement, and Shion was already enraptured. For on the stage stood a single being; a single entity whose face had haunted Shion's dreams for the last eight years.

"Thank you all for coming tonight."

The voice that rang out clearly, in a smooth, rich tone that was pleasantly bitter was the very same voice that Shion had been shouted at by, and comforted by, and which had whispered, "_If this was a knife, you'd be dead_" and which had yelled, "_I was trying to protect you_".

Eve smiled. "Tonight, I won't be performing any starring roles. No queens, or scorned wives, or star-crossed lovers." She paused as deep, grey eyes that shone like the moon searched the audience. "Tonight, I'm going to sing."

There was a roar of applause and appreciative yells, at which her expression softened slightly.

"This is a new song, one I haven't before had the opportunity to share with you… I hold this song close to my heart, but I haven't had time to practice it as I only received it last week – so I hope you have the generosity to forgive me if I err."

The crowd erupted again, and one loud voice in particular was heard to shout, "Of course we'll forgive you!"

Eve chuckled slightly. "Thank you."

She turned and gestured subtly at the man sitting at the piano, who tilted his head and began to play.

Shion almost choked. "_Oh my god._"

"What?" Charles whispered with a mixture of irritation at the performance being interrupted and concern at Shion's expression.

But Shion didn't reply, because Eve had begun to sing.

Her voice was clear and smooth, easily reaching the ears of the entire hall despite the lack of a microphone. It was deep but feminine with a sweet lilt to it that rendered the theatre silent.

Eve's pastel blue figure blurred, and Shion belatedly realised he was crying.

The voice washed over him and he felt as if he was being cleansed; as if he was forgiven, like the hand of god had just caressed him.

But all songs had to end, and as the crowd cheered and whistled, Shion choked out a sob.

Inukashi turned to him. "What? Shion, what's wrong?"

Shion shook his head. "No," he managed to get out in a strangled voice. "It's not… Nezumi, he –" Shion smothered his face with his coat sleeve and sobbed into it, "It's mine."

"What's yours?"

"The _song_. It's mine," Shion cried. "It's the one I wrote, the one I sent – you gave him, Inukashi. My letter."

A stunned silence enwrapped them.

"_Oh_," Rikiga mumbled quietly.

After a brief moment, Charles said, "Wait, hang on a minute."

"What?" Inukashi snapped.

Charles narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Who's Nezumi? What letter? What's this got to do with Eve?"

Karan sighed. "It's a long story. Perhaps a story better not told now, of all times…"

"Yeah, probably best," Rikiga agreed, glancing back at the stage – but it was empty now. "Where'd that rat get off to…"

Shion stood suddenly, overtaken by an overwhelming desire to see the man who had occupied every thought, every cell of his brain since he left. "I'm going to find him."

"Wait –"

He was vaguely aware of questions and protests being thrown at him, but he wasn't concentrating on those now. He made a beeline for the backstage entrance – which was where Nezumi would be.

"Sorry, I can't let you in."

Shion stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the beefy, suited man. "But I –"

"No visitors unless you have a pass."

"I don't have a pass…"

"Then you can't go in. Sorry, kid, those are the rules."

Shion chewed his lip furiously. He _needed _to see Nezumi – "But you don't _understand_, I need to see Nezumi right now –"

A strong hand gripped his shoulder firmly. "No."

"_Nezumi!_" Shion cried out in desperation, fighting against the larger man's grip even though he knew it was a wasted effort. "Nezumi, I know you're there! It's Shion!" He struggled against the iron grip and glared at its owner. "Let me in!"

"Not unless you have a backstage –"

"Shion?"

Both men turned to face the quiet voice. It belonged to a tall man dressed only in a pair of worn khakis and a vest, rouged lips parted in shock as his jaw hung slack.

"Eve –" the bodyguard protested. "I tried to stop him, but he –"

"No," Nezumi cut him off, "It's fine." His face was carefully devoid of emotion as he said, "Let him through."

The man reluctantly released Shion, who only cast him a faintly annoyed look before heading through the double doors.

The backstage was surprisingly understated – Shion had expected vanity mirrors and bright lights, like you see in Hollywood – but it consisted of only a narrow corridor with three small dressing rooms. Nezumi led him into the furthest one and shut the door behind him.

"Nezumi," Shion whispered after a moment, his back to the door and, consequently, Nezumi. "You're really here."

"… Yeah."

Shion turned, and the sight that greeted him almost knocked him clean over. Nezumi was leaning with his back to the door and such a deep intensity in his luminous silver eyes that it made Shion step forward blindly, his only thought focused on closing the gap between them.

He leaned forward, palms flat against the door on either side of the lanky body as he brushed his lips against Nezumi's. The kiss felt different with the lipstick than the previous ones – but Shion quickly decided he didn't care because he _needed_ this and pressed himself against Nezumi as they separated, pinning him to the door. Nezumi's breath hitched and he leaned down to capture Shion's lips in another kiss, this one deeper and more passionate, and his hands found Shion's back as Shion caressed his jaw and bare collarbone.

"Nezumi," Shion whispered breathlessly as they broke apart. "I didn't get to – to tell you before you… before you, uh, left." He was trying his best to keep his thoughts coherent, despite Nezumi's slender hands gliding around his waist and over his chest, but it was a tremendously difficult task. "I know you always – you said I shouldn't use words, because I'm… s-so bad with them and I use them too easily but –" he paused to gulp in needed oxygen, "– I need to tell you that I _need_ you, Nezumi. I _need_ and _want_ and _love_ you and it was so… so difficult when you…"

"Shut up," Nezumi breathed against his neck, and Shion felt electricity shoot down his spine, leaving a pleasant tingle in its wake. "I know." He pressed swollen lips to Shion's skin, and Shion bit down a gasp. "I feel the same."

Violet eyes shot open. "You –" But he was cut off again as Nezumi kissed him hard with a deep, almost animalistic growl.

"I said shut up."

Shion smiled into the kiss, and felt Nezumi do the same, so matter how much he would deny it later. This time, Shion was happy to comply.


	3. Message in a Bottle

**So, uh, this is kinda weird. And short. But I feel Nezumi really is this cryptic sometimes.**

**Disclaimer.**

* * *

><p><strong><em>Message in a Bottle<em>**

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><p>"So where do we stand on the black market matter?"<p>

The man beside Shion spoke up. "I think we should ignore it for now. It provides income for the West Block residents, and it's doing no harm to us."

"Do you even know what they're selling?" a tall woman asked. "They could be selling young children as slaves for all we know!"

"Last week I went there undercover and had a look around," he replied, slightly irked. "Most of the goods were simply stolen valuables and illegal medicines. There were no child slaves, I can assure you."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "'Undercover'?" she echoed, her voice thick with suspicion.

"Yes," the man to Shion's left ground out, and Shion reached out and laid a reassuring hand on his forearm. A reminder that they were in a civilised meeting. This was not the time or place for arguments.

The man quieted a little, and an older man with a long beard – Shion could never remember his name – had begun to offer his own opinion on the matter, but he was interrupted by a sharp rap on the door.

"Enter."

A young man entered, no older than seventeen, with a somewhat shy expression on his freckled face. "Urgent delivery for…" he glanced down at a scrap of paper in his hand, "Office 231." At the room's incredulous expression, he added, "Sorry. There's no other information. Just a delivery for this office."

The old woman at the head of the long meeting table said calmly, "We're in the middle of a meeting."

The man nodded, and seemed to shrink into himself somewhat. "Yeah. Sorry. The boss's orders." He shrugged.

She sighed in exasperation. "Okay." She waved a hand in his direction, and he entered the room, glancing around hesitantly and looking rather lost among the sea of unfamiliar faces.

"Um…?"

"I'll take it," the loud man to Shion's left answered, standing up and striding around the desk to accept the odd-looking delivery.

Shion eyed it with one ivory brow raised. To be honest, he was completely bemused about what they could be receiving – what sort of delivery was addressed to an entire _office_?

The man quickly handed over a tub of… _something_ to the short man, before bowing his head respectfully and almost tripping over himself in his hurry to leave the oppressive atmosphere.

The door closed noisily behind him, but Shion didn't register it. He was too busy gaping at the object in the stout man's hands, numb with shock.

The man – and the rest of the room – was oblivious to Shion's reaction. He tipped it over in his grip. "Hm, strange," he said after a moment. "I wonder what it is."

Shion heard a vaguely strangled sound, and when all eyes turned to him, he realised he was the one who made it. "Um, c-can I…?" he stammered, gesturing weakly at the brown object.

The man shrugged and handed it over. "You think you know what it is?"

Shion didn't reply. Yes, now that he saw it up close, that blur of purple taped clumsily to the side of the tub was _definitely_ what he'd thought it was.

It was an aster.

_It's meant for me. A gift for Shion, addressed to my workplace… _His brow furrowed. _From someone who doesn't know where I live, but knows where I work._

He turned the tub around to read the label. Violet eyes widened, and he stifled a gasp of realisation with a palm. _Oh my god-_

He unscrewed the lid and peered inside. A puff of brown powder and a whiff of artificial chocolate flavouring assaulted him.

_Instant hot chocolate. A half-empty tub of instant hot chocolate… No. Wait. Not just 'half-empty'…_

Shion was pretty certain his colleagues were asking him what was going on, but he wasn't bothered with them at the moment. His attention was solely focused on the tub of instant hot chocolate with his namesake selotaped by the stem to its side, and containing just enough powder for two mugs.

Two mugs.

Shion abruptly remembered the last time he'd shared a mug of hot chocolate with someone. "_Nezumi._"

"What?"

The voices flooded into his consciousness. "Nezumi," he repeated, feeling more than a little choked up. He was now almost certain this was from the man he'd been missing for four years – the man he'd drunk hot chocolate with on the night that had changed his life forever.

And it contained enough for two mugs.


End file.
